I'm back. The reason I've been completely inactive these past months is, essentially, time. Now that I'm working, I'm completely exhausted and haven't had the energy to translate. However, I never stopped writing, and at this point I've got almost three times as many chapters written as the ones currently published here.
That being said, this chapter has been translated by AI, so let me know what you think and if it's well done. I won't be correcting anything because I don't have the time, so it's up to you to judge whether it's readable or not. If it isn't, I'll have to stay on pause until March next year—sorry, but I simply don't have the time. On the other hand, if it is understandable, I'll be able to update almost every day.
By the way, I bought the premium ChatGPT plan just for this and for generating images. Anyway, please comment below if you can understand it and if the translation is good—it's important for the future of this fic. Thanks a lot!
...
Meanwhile, at Akira's house.
Akira and Lala had just arrived home. They left their backpacks in their usual spots and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Tonight, it was Akira's turn to cook since they alternated every day—one day Lala prepared dinner, and the next, Akira was in charge.
With that in mind, they went about their respective tasks. Lala was responsible for sweeping and mopping the floor, while Akira handled cooking and washing the dishes. Just as Akira was about to start dinner, the doorbell rang.
"Who could it be at this hour?" I wondered aloud, confused.
"I don't know, do you want me to answer it?" Lala asked.
"No, don't worry. I'll go," I said.
I went to the door and opened it, only to find a man dressed like a mail carrier.
"Akira Sato?" the man asked.
I stared at him in confusion. He looked sluggish, drool dripping from his mouth, his half-closed eyes glazed over, and his back hunched as if he were… hypnotized.
"That's me," I nodded.
Upon hearing that, the mailman pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me.
"This is for you," he said.
"But this doesn't even look like a letter," I muttered.
When I looked up again, the mailman was already walking away, hunched over, without another word.
"This feels suspicious," I said, staring at the folded piece of paper in my hand.
It was literally just that—an untidily folded scrap of paper.
"Better read it inside," I decided.
The cold outside made it difficult to concentrate, so I stepped back into the house.
"Who was it?" Lala asked from the living room.
"The mailman," I replied.
"The mailman? At this hour?" Lala frowned.
Even on her planet, written mail (which still existed) wasn't delivered this late, but rather in the morning. Written correspondence was mostly for those who enjoyed vintage traditions; most people relied on email or chat.
"Yeah. He gave me this paper," I said, showing her the scrap.
"A paper? What does it say?" she asked curiously.
"I don't know yet, but I'll check now," I replied.
Lala quickly came to my side as I unfolded it. The handwriting was messy and hard to read, but with effort, I managed:
"Hello, Akira Sato. Right now, you're probably wondering who I am. Who sends a letter at this hour of the night? In the galaxy, they know me as Yust, the eccentric doctor, a professional assassin. I regret to inform you that Konjiki no Yami is currently in my hands, and if you want her back, you'll have to come to the address written at the bottom of this paper.
P.S.: Come alone, or I'll kill Konjiki no Yami the moment you walk through the door. This is not a bluff."
Below was an address, scribbled in tiny letters.
"Yami…" Lala whispered in shock.
"No way. How could Yami have been kidnapped?" I asked in disbelief.
"Akira-sama, it is, in fact, possible," Peke said.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Yust, the eccentric doctor, is a killer who murders his victims with poisons and drugs he creates himself. That's why he earned the nickname 'madman,'" Peke explained.
"But we're talking about Yami. How could she be caught?" Lala asked.
"Lala-sama, if Yami-sama was caught off guard, it's possible. I'm no expert, but most likely, he blended into a crowd and drugged her before she realized. Otherwise, how could someone weaker capture her?" Peke reasoned.
"That makes sense," I nodded.
Hiding among a crowd was a cowardly, yet effective tactic. You'd never suspect someone in the crowd meant to drug you.
"What should we do now?" Lala asked.
"I'll do what the letter says. I'm going to rescue Yami," I said without hesitation.
"But… what if it's a trap?" Lala asked, worried.
"Of course it is. But I can't abandon Yami—I have to go," I said firmly.
"Akira-sama, the only good thing about that assassin is that he always acts alone. You don't need to worry about an ambush," Peke said.
"All right, I'll go," I decided.
"Should I come with you?" Lala asked.
"You saw what the letter said. If I don't go alone, he'll kill Yami. We can't risk that," I replied.
A professional assassin—who knew what tricks he had? Better not gamble with Yami's life.
"Fine, but be careful," Lala said.
"Beware of Yust, Akira-sama. His methods are the most cowardly and unethical," Peke warned.
"Thanks for worrying, but I'll be careful," I assured them.
I looked at my watch and shifted it into the Omnitrix.
"I'll use the Omnitrix to get there. Luckily, I know the address and it won't take long," I said.
I activated it and transformed into Jetray, then took off at high speed toward the designated location.
…
It didn't take long thanks to Jetray's speed. Still, I reverted back to normal, just in case. Saving precious minutes could mean everything if things went wrong.
The address led me to an abandoned factory, untouched for years.
"This is it," I muttered, stepping inside.
The building was decaying, paint peeling, shattered windows everywhere, yet it still stood. The interior was pitch-dark, until powerful spotlights suddenly lit up the space.
"Welcome, Akira Sato. I thought you wouldn't come," a voice said.
I turned and saw a ragged man with greasy long hair. From his face, only one shadowed eye and his mouth were visible—curved into a manic grin.
"You must be Yust. Where's Yami?" I demanded.
"Yami? You must mean Konjiki no Yami's new identity," Yust sneered.
"That's right. Now tell me, where is she?" I pressed.
"There she is," Yust said, stepping aside.
Bound to a steel beam with metal restraints, Yami looked at me with dazed eyes.
"Yami!" I shouted.
"A-Akira, get out of here…" she whispered weakly.
Her eyelids drooped, and her voice was strained.
"You! What did you do to her?!" I snapped.
"You see, Yami is far stronger than me physically. I had no choice but to use one of my newest drugs," Yust explained.
"What's its effect?!" I barked.
"A powerful anesthetic, strong enough to knock out even the fiercest beast. But against someone extraordinary like her, it's only partly effective. Still, it's enough to keep her lethargic and unable to use her powers. Otherwise, I'd already be dead," Yust grinned.
"Bastard…" Yami muttered.
She tried to form blades from her hair, but they instantly reverted to normal strands.
"What do you want for her release?" I asked, readying myself for the Omnitrix.
"Better not make a move, or else…" Yust warned.
He pulled out a futuristic pistol and aimed it directly at Yami's temple.
"Now, separate your hands. Don't even think of pressing that dial on your watch—I saw you try. Whatever that device is, it looks like a weapon. Hands apart," Yust ordered.
So filthy, yet sharp. He had noticed.
"Fine, they're apart. Now, tell me what you want," I said.
"I want your life, Akira Sato," Yust sneered.
"N-no, Akira… don't worry about me, just knock him out," Yami pleaded.
"Don't even try. Move a muscle and—well, you know what happens," Yust smirked.
"…Fine. How do you want to do this?" I asked.
"Simple. Just stand still," Yust said, pulling a second small pistol from his filthy coat pocket.
How deep were those pockets?
"Fine," I muttered.
"Don't worry, I'm no sadist. I'll grant you a painless death," Yust said.
"N-no… Akira…" Yami begged.
"I'll stand still. But you'll free her once I'm dead," I demanded.
"You have my word," Yust replied.
Why so confident? I couldn't risk Yami's life. My only hope was the Omnitrix.
"Goodbye, Akira Sato," Yust said, pulling the trigger.
A bullet of pure energy shot out, piercing my chest, straight through my heart, leaving a gaping hole. Blood spilled out, pooling on the floor.
"As promised—no pain," Yust said coldly.
Yami froze, horrified, unable to process what she was seeing. Her gaze locked on the spreading pool of blood beneath my lifeless body.
"Now, as I promised, you're free," Yust said.
He pressed a button, releasing her restraints. But Yami didn't care. Crawling toward my body, she trembled as she cradled me in her arms.
"No… this can't be…" Yami whispered.
Her hands shook as she held my blood-soaked body. She had seen death countless times, but seeing the man she loved—the first and last man she ever loved—in such a state shattered something inside her.
"YOU BASTARD! AHHHHHHHH!" Yami screamed.
Her body began to transform. Horn-like structures sprouted from her head.
"What the hell?!" Yust gasped.
An overwhelming power radiated from her, despite the drug.
[WARNING: HOST VITAL SIGNS CRITICAL. OMNITRIX LIFE SUPPORT FAILING.]
Hearing that, Yami's rage gave way to desperate hope as she looked at the watch.
"You can understand me?! SAVE HIM!" she screamed.
Begging a watch? To anyone else, insane—but Yami, drowning in despair, clung to Akira's bleeding body.
The horns faded as her fury gave way to grief.
[VITAL SIGNS DROPPING. SEARCHING FOR SUITABLE ALIEN.]
"That watch has an AI?" Yust muttered in shock.
What kind of device was it?
[SUITABLE ALIEN FOUND. FORCED TRANSFORMATION INITIATED.]
A flash of green engulfed the room. When it faded, standing before them was no human. A towering figure, 2.2 meters tall, sleek and majestic. Its semi-translucent skin glowed with a bluish shimmer, like enchanted water. Instead of eyes, floating green orbs lit its sockets. Its face was serene, almost angelic, radiating peace.
On its back floated fin-like petals of liquid energy, slowly shifting like living water. Its three long, glowing fingers radiated green healing light. It hovered a few centimeters above the ground, the Omnitrix emblem glowing bright on its chest.
"A-Akira… is that you?" Yami whispered, stunned.
This alien didn't resemble any he had shown before. He looked like… an angel.
"Of course," Akira nodded.